Jallikattu protests continue in Tamil Nadu

Chennai, (IANS) Massive protests across Tamil Nadu in support of Jallikattu, the bull taming sport, intensified on Friday with traders downing their shutters, taxi, auto-rickshaw and truck operators staying off the roads.

The DMK party has announced to hold protests on rail tracks which prompted the Southern Railway to cancel four trains and partial operation of few others.

State government employees have decided to take out a procession while the central government and public sector organisations functioned.

The bank unions have extended their support to the protests.

The movie industry has cancelled shooting and theatre halls would remain closed on Friday.

In some districts schools were also closed.

Thousands of youth sat through Thursday night in Chennai’s Marina beach hoping for some good news from Chief Minister O.Panneerselvam who expected to arrive here on Friday from Delhi following his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

As per available indications the state government is expected to come out with a law allowing conduct of Jallikattu.

The Supreme Court in May 2014 banned Jallikattu, saying that bulls cannot be used as performing animals including bullock-cart races.

Since then, people have been urging the central government to take steps to allow the sport.

The common complaint among the protest leaders was that the Supreme Court had insulted Tamil culture by disallowing the traditional sport observed during the harvest festival of Pongal.

In Tamil Nadu, the protests began on Tuesday morning following the arrest of protesters in Madurai district’s Alanganallur town, well known for conducting the sport.

In Jallikattu, a bull vaulter is expected to hang on to the animal’s hump for a stipulated distance or for a minimum of three jumps by the bull.

In Madurai large number of youth are continuing their protest in support of the state’s ancient sport.